The present invention relates to an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device for helping to protect a vehicle occupant in the event of a side impact to the vehicle and/or a vehicle rollover. In particular, the present invention relates to an inflatable curtain that, prior to inflation, is folded so as to help minimize the required length of a tether that connects the inflatable curtain to the vehicle.
It is known to inflate an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device to help protect a vehicle occupant in the event of a vehicle collision. One particular type of inflatable vehicle occupant protection device is an inflatable curtain that inflates away from the roof of the vehicle downward inside the passenger compartment between a vehicle occupant and the side structure of the vehicle in the event of a side impact or rollover. Such known inflatable curtains are typically placed in a stored position in a housing that opens upon inflation of the inflatable curtain. A known inflatable curtain is inflated from a deflated condition by inflation fluid directed from an inflator into the inflatable curtain.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a side structure and a roof. The apparatus includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device that is inflatable away from the vehicle roof into a position between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant. An inflation fluid source provides inflation fluid for inflating the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device. The apparatus also includes an anchor device connected to the side structure of the vehicle and a flexible elongated member. The flexible elongated member has a first end connected to the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device at a first location spaced from a rear edge of the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device. The flexible elongated member has an opposite second end connected to the anchor device.
The inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, prior to inflation, is folded along a first fold line spaced from the rear edge. The first fold line extends proximate the first location in a direction transverse to a lower edge of the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device. The inflatable vehicle occupant protection device is folded along at least one fold line located forward of the first fold line such that the first fold line extends vertically in the vehicle and such that the first fold line is positioned adjacent to and entirely forward of the anchor device.
The present invention also relates to a method for placing the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device in a stored position. The method includes the step of folding the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device along a first fold line spaced from the rear edge of the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device. The first fold line extends proximate the first location in a direction transverse to the lower edge of the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device. The method also includes the step of folding the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device along at least one fold line located forward of the first fold line such that the first fold line extends vertically in the vehicle and such that the first fold line is positioned adjacent to and entirely forward of the anchor device. The method further comprises the step of rolling up the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device in an outboard direction into a stored position extending along the side structure of the vehicle near the intersection of the side structure of the vehicle and the vehicle roof.